2. How did you come up with your website name?

When I originally had the idea to write a blog I wanted it to be a trustworthy resource for other travelers around the world that they could use to help plan their own travels. There are so many websites out there these days that it can be hard for people doing research to know what is and isn’t trustworthy information. So I thought The Trusted Traveller fit quite well with that.

3. What more can you tell us about your blog? What are your goals or intentions for it?

The Trusted Traveller existed to provide reliable travel tips and inspiration through travel planning articles and inspirational stories from me and other frequent travelers. I’ve been at it for a little over a year now and it has grown so much since then.

My goal one day is for it to be a comprehensive guide for people researching their travels with information on destinations all over the world. And I’ll do this by passing on my knowledge, sharing things that inspire me and connecting people with the wider travel blogging community.

While this year is a quiet one for me, I have big plans (yet to be announced) for a major lifestyle change next year that will have me travelling a lot more.

4. Can you provide us with a Throw Back Thursday picture of one of your favorite travel memories with an explanation?

A few years back my husband and I packed up our lives in Sydney and took off for a few years living and working in London while travelling around Europe. It was tough being away from family and friends as you can imagine. So I was so excited when my parents decided to come over for a visit.

They stayed in London for a few weeks and on one of the long weekends we decided to take them up to Scotland. We stayed in Edinburgh for 4 nights exploring the city and taking a day trip out into the beautiful Scottish Highlands.

This shot was taken of my Mum and I on the banks of Loch Ness. It was such a great trip, one that my parents both bring up in conversation all the time saying how much of a great time they had and how many great memories we have from that time. I totally agree with them!

My favourite would have to be New York. I longed to visit New York for many years and was lucky enough to finally get the chance a few years back. It was everything and more I had hoped it to be, incredible architecture, delicious food, interesting people and a sense of unlimited opportunity. It’s very high on my list of places to return to and hopefully next time I can spend more than a week there.

Least favourite I’d say was Bangkok although I admit I didn’t give it much of a chance. It was just too crazy for my liking and so far off anything I had experienced previous in my travels or life. I think if I went back now, as a more experienced traveller, I would feel different although I doubt it will ever shoot to the top of my list.

6. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? Where?

That would be the fish head in Japan. We were at an included dinner in our Ryoken (traditional Japanese accommodation) on the island of Miyajima near Hiroshima, and were served this incredible banquet of food which included a whole fish head, eye ball and all. While I didn’t eat the eye ball (my husband did) I did eat everything else and believe it or not, it was quite delicious.

7. Who are your travel idols?

I have a few travel idols but probably my two biggest would be Nomadic Matt and Amanda from A Dangerous Business. Both have created a life for themselves that allows them to travel and work, doing exactly what they love. I aspire to be able to do that someday myself and have taken so much inspiration from them on my journey.

8. What’s your best travel tip?

Don’t over plan! I am an extremely organized person who loves the planning side of travel almost as much as the travel itself. I’ve been guilty of over planning way back when I first starting travelling and have found that having too many things set in stone doesn’t give you the freedom to be spontaneous when something amazing comes up on the road. I still recommend having a plan in place but something with a bit more flexibility.

9. Which is your favorite post you’ve written? Please provide a link.

Oh this is a tough one. Probably the one that stands out the most is a post titled “Why You Should Visit Christchurch Now”. Last year my husband and I took a road trip around New Zealand’s South Island (amazing experience BTW) and only planned to visit Christchurch because we had friends there. If they weren’t there we would have avoided it because of the devastating earthquakes that happened there just a few years back.

But arriving there and spending a few days exploring the city, we discovered that Christchurch is well and truly open for business and, that there is so much to see and do that it shouldn’t be missed on any South Island itinerary.

10. What advice would you give to someone new to travel blogging?

Embrace the amazing community of travel bloggers out there in the world. They will offer you great support and guidance along the way. But always remember that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing if you don’t think its right for you and your brand. Use your best judgement and take your blog in the direction you want it to go, not where everyone else is headed. If you just want to blog for fun then don’t let anyone tell you that you should be making money. If you want to make money from it then do it in a way that you feel comfortable.

One thought on “Featured Blogger: The Trusted Traveller”

Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by! My name is Samantha and you've found my travel blog! This website started out as a way to keep my family and friends back home in the loop while I studied abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and it's grown to be so much more than that! These days I do not have the luxury to travel like I used to, but it is still my passion in life! Therefore, along with my own posts, please enjoy articles provided by my fabulous guest bloggers!